The Atlanta Gladiators picked up a 5–4 shootout win over the Jacksonville Icemen on Saturday night at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena, closing out the regular season series in dramatic fashion.
With playoff positioning on the line, Atlanta entered the night looking to jump South Carolina in the standings, while Jacksonville fought to keep its postseason hopes alive. By the end of the night, the Gladiators had done exactly that, moving into second place in the South Division following the win and help elsewhere.
Ethan Haider got the start for Atlanta, while Michael Bullion was between the pipes for Jacksonville.
Starting Lineups
Atlanta Gladiators
Goaltender: Ethan Haider (31)
Defense: Nolan Orzeck (9), Cam Gaudette (10)
Forwards: Brett Bulmer (14), Jack O’Brien (19), Eric Neiley (59)
Jacksonville Icemen
Goaltender: Michael Bullion (50)
Forwards: Colby Ambrosio (7), Logan Cockerill (9), Peter Tischke (16), Will Hillman (49)
First Period
Just seconds into the game, Ethan Haider was tested immediately, flashing the glove on an early Jacksonville chance to keep things scoreless. That sequence set the pace for a high-tempo opening frame, with both teams trading chances and pushing play in transition.
Jacksonville generated early pressure, including a dangerous odd-man rush and multiple looks from the slot, but Haider remained sharp through traffic and second-chance opportunities to keep the Icemen off the board.
Atlanta answered with sustained pressure of its own. A turnover at the Jacksonville blue line led to a clean look for Eric Neiley between the circles. However, Bullion made the stop. The Gladiators continued to build momentum, forcing turnovers and creating high-danger chances, particularly from the Neiley–O’Brien–Bulmer line.
Midway through the period, Atlanta finally broke through. At 15:20, Isak Walther got a stick on a point shot from Ryan Conroy, redirecting it past Bullion to give the Gladiators a 1–0 lead.
Goal (1st | 15:20): Atlanta — Isak Walther (23)
Assists: Ryan Conroy, Brendan Less
Haider continued to be a difference-maker late in the period. He would turn aside multiple point shots and rebound chances to preserve the lead.
With just 1.3 seconds remaining, Jack O’Brien fed Brett Bulmer, who buried his first goal as a Gladiator at 19:58 to extend the lead to 2–0.
Goal (1st | 19:58): Atlanta — Brett Bulmer (1)
Assists: Jack O’Brien, Eric Neiley
BRETT BULMER WITH THE SNIPE AT THE BUZZER! 🎯
THAT’S HIS FIRST GOAL WITH THE GLADIATORS!
🚨: Bulmer (1)
🍎: O’Brien
2-0 ATL | 00:01.3 P1 pic.twitter.com/4lZlZLAgZ6
— Atlanta Gladiators (@atlgladiators) April 11, 2026
The late-period goal capped off a strong opening frame for Atlanta, combining timely scoring with key stops from Haider.
Jacksonville pushed back immediately and nearly flipped the game before the period even settled in.
Just 15 seconds in, Atlanta thought it had extended the lead when a puck appeared to cross the line off a scramble play. After a review by officials, the call on the ice stood as no goal.
Moments later, Atlanta was handed a major opportunity.
A double minor for high-sticking to Logan Cockerill at 1:50 gave the Gladiators a full four-minute power play. Atlanta generated sustained pressure during the advantage. They worked the puck around the zone with multiple looks from Adam Eisele, Alex Young, and Brett Bulmer. Jacksonville’s penalty kill held, and that missed opportunity proved costly.
As soon as Cockerill stepped out of the box, the game turned. At 5:18, he jumped into the play and set up Adam McMaster on a cross-ice feed for a 2-on-1 finish, cutting the deficit to 2–1.
Goal (2nd | 5:18): Jacksonville — Adam McMaster (19)
Assists: Logan Cockerill, Taos Jordan
Jacksonville didn’t slow down. At 8:02, Jed Pietila fired a shot through traffic that changed direction in front, slipping past Haider to tie the game at 2–2.
Goal (2nd | 8:02): Jacksonville — Jed Pietila (5)
Assists: Adam McMaster, Craig Martin
Momentum fully swung in Jacksonville’s favor, and the Icemen continued to press. Atlanta’s penalty kill was tested again midway through the period. This was a critical 5-on-3 sequence. Shot blocks and defensive structure from players like Carson Denomie helped keep the game tied.
Despite being outshot and outpaced for much of the period, Atlanta weathered the storm. They escaped the second period tied at 2–2 after surrendering their early lead.
Second Period Stats
Shots on Goal: Jacksonville 12 | Atlanta 9
Saves: Ethan Haider 10 | Michael Bullion 9
Penalty Minutes: Atlanta 4 | Jacksonville 4
Third Period
The third period turned into a back-and-forth battle—and Kirklan Irey’s night.
Atlanta regained the lead at 2:46 when Kirklan Irey scored the first goal of his professional career. His goal was off a sharp angle off a setup from Zach Yoder and Ryan Nolan.
Goal (3rd | 2:46): Atlanta — Kirklan Irey (1)
Assists: Zach Yoder, Ryan Nolan
Jacksonville answered on the power play.
At 6:02, Logan Cockerill tied the game at 3–3 with his sixth of the season. He finished a play from David Jankowski and Peter Tischke.
Goal (3rd | 6:02): Jacksonville — Logan Cockerill (6) (PP)
Assists: David Jankowski, Peter Tischke
Cockerill struck again just over two minutes later.
At 8:20, he added his second of the night, firing through traffic from the left point off feeds from Colby Ambrosio and Jack Babbage to give Jacksonville its first lead at 4–3.
Goal (3rd | 8:20): Jacksonville — Logan Cockerill (7)
Assists: Colby Ambrosio, Jack Babbage
Atlanta didn’t go away.
Just 1:26 later, Irey answered with his second of the night, batting a puck out of midair off a play from Ethan Scardina and Ryan Nolan to tie the game at 4–4.
Goal (3rd | 9:46): Atlanta — Kirklan Irey (2)
Assists: Ethan Scardina, Ryan Nolan
Late penalties to Atlanta—including minors to Nolan Orzeck, Brett Bulmer, Ryan Francis, and Irey—gave Jacksonville multiple chances on the power play, but the Gladiators’ penalty kill held strong.
Third Period Stats
Shots on Goal: Jacksonville 8 | Atlanta 5
Saves: Ethan Haider 6 | Michael Bullion 3
Penalty Minutes: Atlanta 10 | Jacksonville
Overtime
The Gladiators’ penalty kill—and its goaltender—delivered in the biggest moment of the night.
At 2:52, Atlanta was assessed two penalties at once, a bench minor for unsportsmanlike conduct and an interference call to Alex Young, giving Jacksonville a full 5-on-3 advantage. With the game on the line, the Gladiators leaned heavily on their penalty kill unit, collapsing defensively and forcing Jacksonville to the outside.
Ethan Haider came up with multiple key saves during the sequence, tracking the puck through traffic and denying clean looks from the slot to keep the game tied.
Even after the penalties expired, Jacksonville maintained pressure. A turnover in front created a dangerous chance late in the period, but Haider stood tall once again, making a stop in tight to preserve the tie.
Atlanta survived the extended push and forced the game to a shootout.
Shootout
Jacksonville would shoot first, but Ethan Haider immediately set the tone.
In the opening round, Haider turned aside Adam McMaster, while Alex Young was unable to convert on Atlanta’s first attempt.
The turning point came in the second round.
Haider denied Logan Cockerill, one of Jacksonville’s most dangerous players all night, and moments later, Adam Eisele beat Michael Bullion to give Atlanta the advantage.
With the game on his stick in the third round, Colby Ambrosio was stopped by Haider, who closed the door to secure the 5–4 shootout victory.
Atlanta finished 1-for-2 in the shootout, while Jacksonville was held scoreless on all three attempts.
Final Score
Atlanta Gladiators 5, Jacksonville Icemen 4 (SO)
Final Stats
Shots on Goal: Jacksonville 34 | Atlanta 26
Power Play: Atlanta 0-for-2 | Jacksonville 1-for-9
Penalty Kill: Atlanta 8-for-9
Penalty Minutes: Atlanta 18 | Jacksonville 4
Goaltender Summary
Ethan Haider (ATL): 30 saves on 34 shots, 3/3 in shootout
Michael Bullion (JAX): 21 saves on 25 shots
Three Stars of the Game
⭐ Adam Eisele (ATL) — Shootout winner
⭐⭐ Logan Cockerill (JAX) — 2 goals, 1 assist
⭐⭐⭐ Kirklan Irey (ATL) — 2 goals, including his first professional goal
Game Summary
Atlanta built an early two-goal lead, weathered Jacksonville’s push, and responded in a back-and-forth third period behind Kirklan Irey’s first two professional goals.
The difference came from the penalty kill and goaltending, as the Gladiators went 8-for-9 while shorthanded—including a critical 5-on-3 kill in overtime—before closing it out in the shootout.
With the win, Atlanta moved into second place in the South Division.
Click here to see the full game gallery from our photographer, Andrew Fielder.
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